Snape's Worst Memory Take 2
by angel-of-gryffindor
Summary: A take on Snape's Worst Memory with my OC to see how things would have been different if he had been around.


Snape's Worst Memory take two.

_Snape's worst memory but this time with the missing Marauder, Camren Karn, in the picture too. Things were slightly different. Most taken from pages 564-572 in the Order of the Phoenix._

He was falling through cold blackness, spinning furiously as he went, and then –

He was standing in the middle of the Great Hall, but the four house tables were gone. Instead, there were more than a hundred smaller tables, all facing the same way, at each of which sat a student, head bent low, scribbling on a roll of parchment. The only sound was the scratching of quills and the occasional rustle as someone adjusted their parchment. It was clearly exam time.

Sunshine was streaming through the high windows on to the bent heads, which shone chestnut and copper and gold in the bright light. Harry looked around carefully. Snape had to be here somewhere … this was _his_ memory …

And there he was, at a table right behind Harry, Harry stared. Snape-the-teenager had a stringy, pallid look about him, like a plant kept in the dark. His hair was lank and greasy and was flopping on to the table, his hooked nose barely half an inch from the surface of the parchment as he scribbled. Harry moved around behind Snape and read the heading of the examination paper: DEFENCE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS-ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL.

So Snape had to be fifteen or sixteen, around Harry's own age. His hand was flying across the parchment; he had written at least a foot more than his closest neighbours, and yet his writing was minuscule and camped.

'Five more minuets!'

The voice made Harry jump. Turning, he saw the top of Professor Flitwick's head between the desks a short distance away. Professor Flitwick was walking past a boy with untidy black hair … very untidy black hair…

Harry moved so quickly that, had he been solid, he would have knocked desks flying. Instead he seemed to slide, dreamlike, across two aisles and up a third. The back of the black-haired boy's head drew nearer and … he was straightening up now, putting down his quill, pulling his roll of parchment towards him so as to reread what he had written …

Harry stopped in front of the desk and gazed down at his fifteen-year-old father.

Excitement exploded in the pit of his stomach: it was as though he was looking at himself but with deliberate mistakes. James's eyes were hazel, his nose was slightly longer than Harry's and there was no scar on his forehead, but they had the same thin face, same mouth, same eyebrows; James's hair stuck up at the back exactly as Harry's did, his hands could have been Harry's and Harry could tell that, when James stood up, they would be within an inch of each other in height.

James yawned hugely and rumpled up his hair, making it even messier than it had been. Than, with a glance towards Professor Flitwick, he turned in his seat and grinned at a boy sitting four seats behind him.

With another shock of excitement, Harry saw Sirius give James the thumbs-up, Sirius was lounging in his chair at his ease, tilting it back on two legs. He was very good-looking; his dark hair fell into his eyes with a sort of casual elegance neither James's nor Harry's could ever have achieved, and a girl sitting behind him was eyeing him hopefully, though he didn't seem to have noticed. And two seats along from this girl – Harry's stomach gave another pleasurable squirm – was Remus Lupin. He looked rather pale and peaky (was the full moon approaching?) and was absorbed in the exam: as he reread his answers, he scratched his chin with the end of his quill, frowning slightly. He wrote a little more and looked up when he heard a low whistle take wafted across the aisles. Lupin looked at the desk next to him with a tiny smile and a golden-hair boy smiled back.

Harry gazed at the other boy – he seemed very familiar -; his hair was drawn back in a scruffy ponytail, his green eyes twinkled as he cheekily wrinkled his nose at Lupin: his roll of parchment was already rolled up and his quill large red quill was tucked behind his ear. He mouthed something to Lupin who shook his head in response. The boy looked down the aisle towards James, who was looking at him, the boy crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at him but just as Professor Flitwick walked past.

'Enough Mr Karn.' He squeaked.

Karn instantly sat up straight, but he still had a cheeky grin on his face; he took his hair out of its ponytail and looked around the hall, Harry followed his gaze and found Wormtail: a small, mousy-haired boy with a pointed nose. Wormtail looked anxious; he was chewing his fingernails, staring down at his paper, scuffing the ground with his toes. Every now and then he glanced hopefully at his neighbour's paper. Harry stared at Wormtail for a moment, then back at James, who was now doodling on a bit of scrap parchment. He had drawn a Snitch and was now tracing the letters 'L.E.'. What did they stand for?

'Quills down, please!' squeaked Professor Flitwick. 'That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! _Accio!_'

Over a hundred rolls of parchment zoomed into the air and into Professor Flitwick's outstretched arms, knocking him backwards off his feet. Several people laughed. A couple of students at the front desk got up, took hold of Professor Flitwick beneath the elbows and lifted him back on to his feet.

'Thank you … thank you,' panted Professor Flitwick. 'Very well, everybody, you're free to go!'

Harry looked down at his father, who had hastily crossed out the 'L.E.' he had been embellishing, jumped to his feet, stuffed his quill and the exam paper into his bag, which he slung over his back, and stood waiting for Sirius to join him.

Harry looked around and glimpsed Snape a short way away, moving between the tables towards the doors to the Entrance Hall, still absorbed in his own exam paper, round-shouldered yet angular, he walked in a twitching manner that recalled a spider, and his oily hair was jumping about his face.

A gang of chattering girls separated Snape from James, Sirius, Lupin and Karn, and by planting himself in their midst, Harry managed to keep Snape in sight while straining his ears to catch the voices of James and his friends.

'Did you like question ten, Moony? Phixx?' asked Sirius as they emerged into the Entrance Hall.

'Loved it.' Said Lupin briskly.

'_Give five signs that identify the werewolf._' Karn recited from the exam paper he was holding.

'Excellent question.' The two said in unison with a smile.

'Do you think you two managed to get all the signs?' said James in tones of mock concern.

'Think we did.' Said Lupin seriously casting a short look at Karn, as they joined the crowned thronging around the front doors eager to get into the sunlit grounds. 'One: there's one in my chair. Two: there's one wearing our clothes. Three: their names are Remus Lupin and Camren Karn.'

Wormtail was the only one who didn't laugh.

'I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes and the tufted tail,' he said anxiously, 'but I couldn't think what else –'

'How thick are you, Wormtail?' said James impatiently, 'You run round with two werewolves once a month –'

'Keep your voice down,' implored Lupin.

'Yeah Prongs or you can help me find the other sign for Wormtail,' Karn hissed.

Harry looked anxiously behind him again. Snape remained close by, still buried in his exam questions – but this was Snape's memory and Harry was sure that if Snape chose to wander off in a different direction once outside in the grounds, he, Harry, would not be able to follow James any further. To his intense relief, however, when James and his four friends strode off down the lawn towards the lake, Snape followed, still pouring over his exam and apparently with no fixed idea of where he was going, by keeping a little ahead of him, Harry managed to maintain a close watch on James and the others.

'Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake,' he heard Sirius say. 'I'll be surprised if I don't get "Outstanding" on it at least.'

'Me too,' said James. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a struggling Golden Snitch.

'Where'd you get that?'

'Nicked it,' said James casually.

'Yeah, off me,' said Karn almost sharply, as he stuffed his exam paper into his pocket.

James shrugged and he started playing with the Snitch, allowing it to fly as much as a foot away before seizing it again; his reflexes were excellent. Wormtail watched him in awe.

They stopped in the shade of the very same beech tree on the edge of the lake where Harry, Ron and Hermione had once spent a Sunday finishing their homework, and they threw themselves down on the grass. Harry looked over his shoulder yet again and saw, to his delight, that Snape had settled himself on the grass in the dense shadow of a clump of bushes. He was as deeply immersed in the OWL paper as ever, which left Harry free to sit down on the grass between the beech tree and the bushes and watch the five under the tree. The sunlight was dazzling on the smooth surface of the lake, on the bank of which the group of laughing girls who had just left the Great Hall were sitting, with their shoes and socks off, cooling their feet in the water.

Lupin had pulled out a book and was reading. Sirius stared around at the students milling over the grass, looking rather haughty and bored, but very handsomely so. Karn had already stripped off to his short that he had been wearing under his robes to revel a number of large scars, he was wading through the water, looking into it, as if searching for something. James was still playing with the Snitch, letting it zoom further and further away, almost escaping but always grabbed at the last second. Wormtail was watching him with his mouth open. Every time James made a particularly difficult catch, Wormtail gasped and applauded. After five minutes of this, Harry wondered why James didn't tell Wormtail to get a grip of himself, but James seemed to be enjoying the attention. Harry noticed that his father had a habit of rumpling up his hair as though to keep it from getting too tidy, and he also kept looking over at the girls by the water's edge.

'Put it away, will you,' said Sirius finally, as James made a fine catch and Wormtail let out a cheer.

'Before Wormtail wets himself with excitement,' Karn piped up from further in the Lake.

Wormtail turned slightly pink, but James grinned.

'If it bothers you,' he said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket.

Harry had the distinct impression that Sirius was the only one for whom James would have stopped showing off.

'I'm bored,' said Sirius. 'Wish it was full moon.'

'You might,' said Lupin darkly from behind his book. 'We've still got Transfiguration, if you're so bored you could test me. Here …' and he held out his book.

But Sirius snorted. 'I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all.'

'If you're so bored Paddy,' Karn shouted making his way back to them with his arms full of something green and gooey. 'Over there …' he put the stuff down and pointed towards the clump of bushes, '… is our favourite entertainment.'

Sirius's head turned. He became very still, like a dog that had scented a rabbit.

'Excellent,' he said softly. '_Snivellus._'

Harry turned to see what Sirius was looking at.

Snape was on his feet again, and was stowing the OWL paper in his bag. As he left the shadows of the bushes and set off across the grass, Sirius and James stood up.

Lupin and Wormtail remained sitting: Lupin was still staring down at his book, though his eyes were not moving and a faint frown line had appeared between his eyebrows; Wormtail was looking from Sirius and James to Snape with a look of avid anticipation on his face; Karn had put his shirt back on, he stood with his legs apart, hands on his hips and an evil grin on his face that didn't suit him.

'All right, Snivellus?' said James loudly.

Snape reacted so fast it was as though he had been expecting an attack: dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes and his wand was halfway in the air when James shouted, '_Expelliarmus_!'

Snape's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Karn gave a song like laugh and Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

'_Impedimenta!_' he said, pointing his wand at Snape, who was knocked off his feet halfway through a dive towards his own fallen wand.

Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had got to their feet and were edging nearer. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained.

Snape lay panting on the ground. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands raised, and Karn decided to join the fun too. James glancing over his shoulder at the girls at the water's edge as he went. Wormtail was on his feet now, watching hungrily, edging around Lupin to get a clearer view.

'How'd the exam go, Snivelly?' said James.

'I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment,' said Sirius viciously. 'There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word.'

Several people watched laughed; Snape was clearly unpopular.

Wormtail sniggered shrilly and Karn let out another song. Snape was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on his; he was struggling, as though bound by invisible ropes.

'You – wait,' he panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing, 'you – wait!'

'Wait for what?' said Sirius coolly. 'What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?'

Snape let out a stream of mixed swear words and hexes, but with his wand ten feet away nothing happened.

'He's got a worse mouth on him then I do,' said Karn with a slight frown, as if he was upset that Snape was able to out swear him.

'Wash out your mouth,' said James coldly. '_Scourgify!_'

Pink soap bubbles stream from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him –

'Leave him ALONE!'

James, Sirius and Karn looked around. James's free hand immediately jumped to his hair.

It was one of the girls from the lake edge. She had thick, dark red hair that fell to her shoulders, and her startling green almond-shapes eyes – Harry's eyes.

Harry's mother.

'What's it got to do with you Evans?' Karn instantly snapped at her; he had the same look of loathing in his eyes as Snape did for James.

'Leave him alone,' Lily repeated, ignoring Karn all together.

'Yeah we heard you first time Evans,' Karn said coldly. 'Why don't you just mind your own business.'

Harry began to wonder why Karn hated his mother so much, when everyone had spoken so highly of her, 'What's he ever done to you?' Lily questioned.

'It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean …' James finally added.

Many of the surrounding students laughed, Sirius and Wormtail included, Karn was glaring evilly at Lily, but Lupin, still apparently intent on his book, didn't, and nor did Lily.

'You think you're funny,' she said coldly. 'But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him _alone_.'

'And you Lily Evans,' Karn started, it seemed that this fight was much more interesting than humiliating Snape. 'You are cold, heartless. Thicker than your hair,' Lily looked slightly insulted, she stepped back as he stepped forward and none of the others dared to step in. 'You never give anyone else a chance to be right! You would rather stand up for a Slytherin than someone from your own house!'

'Well, if you didn't just pick him on him for the hell of it, than …' Lily began to retaliate.

'Our feud with Snivellus goes way back and you don't know the first thing about it,' Karn was red with rage, he was shaking and finally Lupin had got to his feet; he was slowly making his way over to Karn.

'Keep your pointless opinions to yourself!'

'Than stop bulling people for the hell of it!'

'If you're not lucky Evans I'll hex you!'

'I'll like to see you try!'

Karn let a ragged breath, he made a grab for him wand in his short pocket, but Lupin got there first, 'Enough,' Lupin hissed.

'OI!' Harry heard Sirius shouted.

But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face, spattering his robes with blood. James whirled about: a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging upside-down in the air, his robe falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of greying underpants.

Many people in the, now very large, crowd, thanks to the row between Karn and Lily, cheered; Sirius, James, Karn and Wormtail roared with laughter.

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, 'Let him down!'

'Oh, come on Evans!' Karn spat through laughter. 'Laugh! You know you want to. Prove me wrong; prove that you really do have a sense of humour.'

Everyone's laughter died, the only sound was Snape shouting to be let down. Lily looked nervously around her but no one helped; she swallowed hard, the corners of her mouth twitched and everyone looked closer, but quickly she snapped, 'This is stupid!' stamping her foot in fustian.

Karn had a very smug smile on his face, 'I knew it. No sense of humour!' he announced to the crowd and they all laughed at her.

Harry had begun not to like this Karn, he seemed worse than Snape and all the other Slytherin put together.

'Well, I still believe you have a sense of humour, Evans.' Said James with a smile.

Lily looked vaguely shocked that James would stand against his friends – as did they: Lily swallowed again, 'Let him down,' she crocked.

'Only if you go out with me,' James challenged.

Lily stood with her hands on her hips, 'I would rather date the Giant Squid. Let him down,' she ordered again.

James sighed, flicking his wand at Snape, he fell to the ground, 'There you go,' he said, as Snape struggled to him feet. 'You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus –'

'I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!'

'OI! You leave Evans alone!' Snapped a very angry voice.

Lily blinked. It was Karn.

'I thought you two were meant to be friends, but it seems I was wrong!' Karn spat, pointing an accusing finger at Snape. 'You always were a spiteful friend, but remember this: I am the only one in this _whole_ school who is allowed to insult her!' he grabbed Snape by the front of his shirt and pulled closer.

Harry thought that the first full intention on this fight had gone slightly off the point: he also wondered how someone who could hate Lily so much, stand up for the right to be the only one to insult her.

'Am I quite understood?' Karn hissed; Snape nodded and pushed away from Karn.

Karn shook himself calm, Lily tapped him on the shoulder, 'Thanks,' she said timidly, as if she didn't say that word very often.

'I didn't do it for you,' he spat back at her. 'I did that because making you life a misery is _my_ job because _you_ hurt our James.' Karn pointed towards James who turned beetroot red and his hand went to his hair again.

'You're as bad as each other!' Lily shouted and stormed off.

'Evans!' James shouted after her. 'Hay, Evans!'

'Leave me alone, Potter,' she shouted back. 'You make me SICK.' And with that she carried on and she didn't look back.

'What is with her?' said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him.

'Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate,' said Sirius.

'Don't worry mate, we'll get her back,' Karn told him. 'Right Padfoot?' he high-fived Sirius as they made a silent agreement.

James rolled his eyes at his friends, 'Right,' said James, who looked furious now, 'right – '

There was another flash of light, and Snape was once again hanging upside-down in the air.

'Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?'

'Me, me!' Karn sang joyfully, jumping up and down with excitement waving his hand in the air.

But whether James really did take off Snape's pants, Harry never found out.


End file.
